


Prom Night

by cmk418



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-04-05
Updated: 2009-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28642050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmk418/pseuds/cmk418
Summary: After prom, Xander shows up at Giles'.
Relationships: Rupert Giles/Xander Harris
Kudos: 2





	Prom Night

Giles glanced up from his reading at the knock at the door. He hadn’t expected anyone tonight. The children would spend the remainder of the night engaged in drinking and inappropriate physical contact. Except for Buffy, of course. For the rest of them, it was an evening that they would spend in the company of peers and Giles would enjoy in blissful solitude.

The knock sounded again. Perhaps it was Wesley. Giles sighed and went to answer it. Truly, he hoped it wasn’t his fellow countryman. He’d suffered enough prattling earlier this evening.

Giles opened the door to see Xander waiting outside, tie in hand, collar unbuttoned, looking rumpled, but happy. “Hey, Giles.”

Giles stepped out of the doorway, allowing Xander space to enter. He glanced outside before closing the door. “It’s just you?”

“Yeah. That okay?”

“Fine. I’m just surprised to see you here.”

“I didn’t feel like watching Willow and Oz making out for six hours.”

“What happened with Anyanka?”

“I didn’t feel like listening to graphic descriptions of eviscerations either.”

“I see.”

“If you don’t want me here, I can go… home.”

“It’s fine, Xander. I don’t mind.”

Xander sat down on the sofa. “Takes a little while to wind down, you know.”

“I’m still waiting for the ringing in my ears to subside.”

“One of the many side effects of having a good time.” Twin clunks marked the moment that Xander’s dress shoes hit the floor. Xander maneuvered his bare feet up on the arm of the sofa. “Sore feet are definitely another. It isn’t fair.”

“What isn’t?”

“The girls can wear floor-length gowns to hide their tennis shoes and we have to wear these ridiculously tight dress shoes, obviously designed as a form of torture.”

“Ah yes, I think they were very big with formalwear during the Spanish Inquisition.”

“No one expects…” Xander began and then looked at Giles’ feet. “Hey, you’re barefoot too.”

“Of course. It’s one of the comforts and privileges of…” He saw Xander reaching for his shoes. “Oh, please, leave them off. I wouldn’t want to subject you to any torture.”

“I might like it,” Xander reddened when he realized what he’d said. “Sorry. Four hours with Anya and I lose my inner censor. Damn it.”

“I’m surprised that you actually have one.”

“You’d be surprised at how much of one I have.” Xander wanted to kick himself.

“What?”

“What?” Xander parroted. It seemed easier to pretend he didn’t understand than to answer Giles’ question. If Giles knew what Xander was thinking, Xander would be walking home on his aching feet. A change of subject was definitely in order. “Does the Chinese place deliver this late?”

“You can’t be thinking of food at this hour.”

“I’m a guy. The mind has two tracks. Food and sex. Actually three, if you count the Sunnydale ‘Am I going to die?’ option.”

“I’ve some microwave popcorn in the cabinet over the dishwasher.”

“Why not over the microwave?”

“Because that’s where I keep the dishes.”

“That seems pretty inefficient, Giles.”

Giles gave him an annoyed look. “Would you like the popcorn or not?”

“Pop away,” responded Xander.

Giles padded into the kitchen. Four beeps of the microwave later, he returned. Xander watched every step from his perch on the couch.

Giles opened his book again, in an attempt to curb further conversation.

“More Ascension business?” Xander asked.

“Just some light reading.”

“Let me see.” Xander leaned over and glanced at the title. “’Dracula?’ You’re reading ‘Dracula’? A thousand and one vamps in this town and you read about one for fun.”

“I find it relaxing. Knowing that good eventually triumphs over evil.”

“Do you think we will? Triumph, that is.”

“I’ve no idea. I would hope-“ Giles trailed off as Xander abruptly stood and walked into the kitchen.

“Popcorn.”

“I certainly hope that your stomach doesn’t start rumbling during the Ascension.” Giles went to file the copy of ‘Dracula’ in its proper place on the bookshelf.

“If the Mayor starts smelling like a bowl of buttery goodness, it just might.”

Giles heard Xander come back into the room, set the bowl on the table, and shift restlessly on the sofa for a few moments. _Children_ , he thought.

He was unprepared, then, for the sight that greeted him upon turning. Xander, out of his pants and tuxedo jacket, reaching for the bowl of popcorn on the table.

“What are you doing?”

“Rental tux plus buttery popcorn equals cleaning fee that Xander does not have.” He held the bowl out to Giles. “You want some of this?”

“Yes.”

Xander got up, abandoning the bowl of popcorn. “I’m going to pop another bag then.”

Giles’ voice sounded strained. “That’s fine, Xander.”

“You might wanna…” Xander gestured to indicate Giles outfit. Giles had shed the tie and jacket, but the rest was still in place and looking... _Say something, Xan._ “Well, you’re British. They probably don’t let you out of the country without a tux. Gotta uphold the whole James Bond mystique.” Xander escaped into the kitchen before his brain could launch into a whole Giles-as-James-Bond fantasy.

“Yes, they teach us to drink our martinis shaken, not stirred.” Giles unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. He toyed with the idea of stripping down, but decided that it might be best if one of them kept his pants on.

“Hey, score a pop culture reference for the librarian. Who’s your favorite Bond?”

“I’ve only seen one Bond film. ‘Goldfinger.’”

“Well, I think you need a little more balance in order to make a decision. Definitely a Moore and a Brosnan then maybe a Dalton, but he’s not really anybody’s favorite.”

“Perhaps a movie night is in order.”

Xander walked back into the living room. “Sure. You bring the movies and we’ll bring the…” Xander stared at Giles. The last time he saw the man looking this relaxed was the night that all the adults went wacky from the band candy. And, God, was he hot when he was like this. It really wasn’t fair. Hot in a tux. Hot in tweed. Doctor Seuss could probably write a rhyming book about the hotness of Giles.

“The popcorn.”

“Yeah.”

“No, Xander. The popcorn. You’re spilling it on the carpet.”

“Shit.” Xander righted the bowl but it was too late.

“Don’t worry. I’ll tidy up. There’s another bag left, yes?”

“Yeah.”

“Pop away.”

Xander walked back into the kitchen and started the last bag of popcorn just as the handheld vacuum whirred to life. Xander closed his eyes and brought to mind the image of Giles bending over, sweeping up popcorn. He enjoyed the image for a moment, knowing that if he walked into the living room to really check Giles out, Giles would stop vacuuming and things would return to normal. So, sticking with the mental fantasy was for the best, really.

The whine of the vacuum continued and Xander decided to let his inner censor disappear for a moment. “You looked really good tonight,” he muttered.

“Thank you,” said Giles, too close to Xander for comfort.

Xander jumped. _Damned tinnitus._

“Popcorn,” said Giles, brushing against Xander.

“Right.”

“Still hungry? Or did you go off-track?”

“I didn’t derail. Switch got thrown.”

“Are you going to continue this analogy?”

“I didn’t score that well on the verbal.”

“Would you mind if…?”

“For God’s sake, Giles,” Xander said, reaching forward and pulling Giles in for a kiss.

Giles took control, pushing Xander back against the counter, framing Xander’s face with his hands and kissing him thoroughly.

Both gasped for breath when the kiss was broken. Xander’s arms remained around Giles. His hands traced patterns down Giles’ back, drifted over the curve of his ass and squeezed gently.

Giles braced his hands over Xander’s arms, forcing some space between them. “This is all very well and good, but I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you that you’re still a student at Sunnydale High for another week.”

“At which time, we may all wind up dead.”

“But, is that reason enough to continue? To beat the clock?”

“Partly. But maybe it’s also to have something to hang on to if we manage to come through this thing. Willow, Buffy, and Oz have college. Cordy has her acting career. Wesley has, well, I don’t know what Wesley has and I don’t really care. But for you and me, this is it. The last hurrah. High school’s over and there’s nothing left.”

The “oh, dear Lord” was whispered as Giles sat down in the middle of the kitchen floor. He reached for his glasses before seeming to realize that he had no handkerchief to clean them with.

Xander took the spectacles from him, folded them, and set them on the counter. He moved to sit beside Giles, taking his hand. “Hadn’t thought that far in advance, huh?”

“I couldn’t allow myself.”

“I’d planned on taking a trip this summer.”

“Ah yes, your ‘On the Road’ pilgrimage.”

“Something like that.”

“It’s a fine plan, Xander.”

“I was thinking that you could come with me.”

“I have responsibilities here.”

“You’re off the Council and your Sunnydale High timecard is about to be clocked out permanently. No better time to take advantage of the open road.”

As Giles appeared ready to have another objection fall from his lips, Xander forged ahead, “Or I could park my Uncle Rory’s piece of shit in your garage for a while.”

“Now there’s an attractive proposition.”

“I never said it was without its benefits.” Xander leaned forward and dropped a soft kiss on Giles’ lips.

“Xander.”

“Giles, it’s my prom night. Something I’ve looked forward to and have had fantasies about since fifth grade. I never quite expected it to turn out this way, but it has. Let me give you something to look forward to.”

Xander watched as Giles rose to his feet, took his spectacles from the counter, and put them on. Giles took a step toward the door, turned back and extended a hand toward Xander.

“Shall we?” he asked with a smile.

Xander beamed as he placed his hand in Giles’. “Absolutely.”  



End file.
